LeBron James admits he had doubts about joining the Heat in his first year

LeBron James has refused to talk about his upcoming free agency, but he did reflect recently on his controversial 2010 decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. In an excerpt of a new interview set to air next Monday (February 17) on NBA TV at 9pm Eastern time, the now-four-time MVP admitted that he and Dwyane Wade had second thoughts about teaming up with Chris Bosh in Miami when their new superteam got off to a slow start in the 2010-11 season.

Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports

The thought seems crazy now — the Heat have made the Finals in all three seasons of the Big Three era and won the last two NBA championships. Clearly, James, Wade and Bosh did make the right choice. But it’s easy to forget in 2014 that the transition was anything but seamless in the beginning.

Because of the unpopular The Decision TV special and over-the-top welcome party the Heat threw themselves that offseason, James went from being generally well-liked among NBA fans to a universal villain, someone whose every misstep was picked apart in real time on social media and throughout the press. That can’t have been an easy transition for him, either.

If James had hinted at having any kind of second thoughts at the time, he would have gotten destroyed from all directions. Now that he’s a two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP, firmly cemented among the all-time greats of the sport and (mostly) back in the good graces of fans, it’s easier to reflect on a time when it wasn’t a given that things would work out for him.

We’re all better off now that the greatest player in the world is at peace with this part of his career.

LeBron James admits he had doubts about joining the Heat in his first year

LeBron James has refused to talk about his upcoming free agency, but he did reflect recently on his controversial 2010 decision to leave (…)

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